Introduction: Read Aloud

Today, I will read aloud the story of the Three Bears by Paul Galdone. Read-alouds are an important component of the literacy experiences that need to happen in an early elementary classroom so that students can be exposed to a wide range of literature that they would otherwise not be able to access on their own.

To help deepen the read aloud experience, I will be using text dependent questions with the read aloud. As I read, the students will be gathering evidence from the text and the illustrations to answer key details about the story. To help the students gather evidence, students will be taking notes on a blank piece of paper. Students will come to rug with clipboards, pencils. I have divide paper folded in fourths for them. I will review the words evidence and concepts of key details of a story. After I finish reading the text, my students will get the opportunity to add to the key details at their desks.

Lesson Opening:

I share the standard we will be working on. I read aloud the story and ask text dependent questions as they take notes. They have a white paper folded in fourths. They take notes on the characters and the setting so that they can use this information to identify the problem and solution later at their desks.

In some stories, the illustrations deflect from the storyline; in this case, though, the illustrations add to the storyline, so I ask them to look at the illustrations to notice additional information that the text does not give us. My students need much practice noticing how the illustrations carry/add meaning to the storyline.

(A note on the amount of questions, I always develop more questions that I actually use. I like to be prepared.)

Writing Response

25 minutes

Now my students are working at their tables to identify the problem and the solution. I have drawn a template for them to draw on a piece of paper. I am monitoring my students and determining if they are able to identify these key elements and how they are going about and identifying them. Some may need my support to identify correctly.

Once students are done identifying the problem and solution, I ask them to identify the lesson for the character they choose. I have found that once you get students to think about the big picture with the problem/solution, it's easier for them to figure out a meaningful, relevant lesson. My students need much practice with identifying lessons characters learn, and this is a text that can aid to develop this particular skill.

Sharing Whole Group

5 minutes

Now I give a few of my students who were able to identify the problem and solution and the lessons an opportunity to share. Sharing allows my students to have their work validated and receive feedback about whether they are meeting the objective or not. They also get feedback about how to improve their work, which is crucial for their growth. Peer feedback is just as powerful as teacher feedback. Also, for feedback to be effective, it needs to be immediate and very specific to the task at hand.

This is the system I use to offer the speakers feedback in a safe, fun way:

Two Stars: Two different students share what they specifically like about the content of the writing.

A Wish: Another student shares specifically how they think the writing can be improved.